Car-brake



(No Model.)

H.l C. FLETEMEYER.

GAR BRAKE.

Patented Oct. 16, 1888.

i(larme drames Arana* Erice;

HENUY CHARLES FLETEMEYER, OF LAFAYETTE, INDIANA.

CAR=BRAKE- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,309, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed August 15, 1888. Serial No. 282,821. (No model.)

[0 @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, HENRY GHARLEs FLETEn MEYER, of Lafayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and State of Indiana, have invented eertain new and Vuseful Improvements in Gar- Erakes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form part of this specification, in which- The tign re represents an end view of a ear to which my improved brake-setting devices are applied.

This invention is an improvement in carbrake-actuating devices; and its objects are to dispense with the use of brake wheels and drums to tighten the brake-chains, and instead to employ a system of levers for applying or releasing the brakes direct, the levers being arranged upon the end ofthe car in such manner that the brakes can be operated from either side or top of the car, the levers being so con ueeted as to be operated simultaneously, so that the locking or release of one lever will lock or release the others.

Referring to the accompanying drawing by letter, A designates the car, and B is a vertical piece or block secured on the end of the car near the center thereof and extending about half the height ofthe car.

C is an upstanding lever pivoted on a bolt, D', between the upper end ot a block, B, and a clip, d, secured to the block, as shown, so that the lever has lateral play.

E is a binding-plate secured tothe end of the car in rear of lever C, and which tends to force the upper end ofthe lever away from 4the car and out of engagement with a rack, E, which lever C is adapted to engage by a tooth, c, be ing kept in position for engaging the rack by a strap, l

G isa fulcrumvbn r pivotally mounted on bolt D and lying normally in a horizontal position when the brakes are released. The longest arm of this fulcrnm-bar is connected by a link, g, with lever C, so that it may be operated thereby. In the lower edge ofthe long arm ot' bar G are a series ot'perforations, 7th, in which may be adj ustabl y engaged the end of a hook-link, H, the other end ot which is connected to the draft-chain I, that operates the car-brakes, so that by lifting the long arm of bar G the brakes will be applied. The brakes are not shown, as they may be of any ordinary construction operated by a draft chain or link. By varying the point of attachment of link H to bar G the leverage exerted from said bar upon the draft-chain is varied. Y

K is a lever lying nearly horizontal and below bar G. lts inner end is pivoted at lc upon a proper support,and its free end proj eets over block B to the opposite side ofthe car, where itis adapted to engage a rack, L, similar to rack F, and is guided by a strap, Z, similar to strap j'. M is alink attached to lever K near the pivot thereof and connecting the same with the short arm of bar G, so that when the outer end of lever K is depressed the bar will be oscillated and the brake-chain tightened. The lever K bears against the outer face of block B, and will be thereby kept out of engagement with the teeth ot' rack L when not forcibly engaged therewith.

M is a lever similar' to lever K but extending to the opposite side ofthe car. Its inner end is pivoted at m on block B, and it is connected by a link, M, to lever K, so that when its outer end is depressed the lever K and barG will be actuated, as bet'ore described, and the brakechain tightened. The levers C, K, and M, by their connections to each other and bar G, move simultaneously. Lever M is provided with a rack, O, and guard o, similar to the other racks and guards of thc other levers,and also with a binding-plate, P, by which its free end is kept normally out of engagement with the rack.

From the foregoing it is obvious that, if either of the levers C, K, or M be actuated and locked to their rack, bar G is oscllated and the brakechain tightened, thus applying the brakes, and the locking of one lever also locks the others, although they are disengaged from their racks. lf the lever C has been locked by its rack, it could be unlocked by depressing either lever K or M sniiciently to throw lever C back ont of engagement with its rack. The brakes can thus be applied or released from either side or top of the car, no matter which lever is employed, or engaged with its rack.

The outer end of the longer arm of bar G may be weighted to hasten the release of the brakes when the levers are unlocked, as shown at Q; or a spring may be employed, as shown at R. The effect of the weight or spring is obvious, and the operation of the parts is apparent from the foregoing.

I do not claim, broadly, in this application any of the features shown in my application, Serial No. 278,836, filed July 2, 1888; but

What I do claim s.-

1. The combination of ahorizontal oscillating bar pivotally mounted on the end of a car and provided with a series of perforations in the lower edge of its longer arm, and the device for returning said bar to normal position, with the link attached to said bar and to the brakechain, and the series of levers connected with said bar, and the racks and guards for said levers at the top and sides of the car, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the pivoted levers eX- tending, respectively, to the top and opposite sides ofthe car, and the racks and guards therefor, and the binding-plates for said levers, with the pivoted oscillating bar operated by said levers and having its longer arm connected with the brake-chain, substantially as and for the purpose speoied.

3. The combination of the Vertical block,the upstanding lever pivoted to 'the upper end thereof', its rack and binding-plate, and the oscillating bar pivoted on the upper end of said block and having its long arm connected with the upstanding lever and with the brakechain, and the device for returning said bar to normal position. with the horizontal levers pivoted below the bar, the upper one being connected to the short arm of the bar and the lower one being connected to the upper,where by all the levers and bar move together, and the racks and guards for said levers, all substantially as described.

In testimony that elairn the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY CHARLES FLETEMEYER.

Witnesses:

J. H. BRUNI, ANDREW SCHMIDT. 

